I haven't started playing yet - still waiting for F2P - but when I do (and if you haven't posted that specific article yet, though don't wait for me) then I'd be okay with including my information. _________________I am a Star Wars fan. That doesn't mean that I hate or love Jar Jar. That doesn't mean I hate or love Lucas, or agree or disagree 100% with him. That doesn't mean I prefer the PT over the OT, or vice versa. That doesn't mean I hate the EU, or even love all of it (or even read all of it). These are not prerequisites. Being a man is not a prerequisite. Being a geek is not a prerequisite. The only prerequisite is that I love something about Star Wars. I am a Star Wars fan.

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 7:23 am

Message

Taral-DLOSMaster

Joined: 23 Nov 2010Posts: 2059Location: Ontario, Canada

Salaris Vorn wrote:

I'd prefer not to switch servers since I'd have to start from scratch again. I've kind of gotten attached to my character there and I also have a guild of friends there that I wouldn't want to leave (not one of the larger gaming guilds but a guild started by a friend of a real world friend). Not that I would totally object to rerolling on another server, but doing so isn't my preference.

All that being said I'm more than willing to let you post the server I'm on and character names in your next column post. I think it would be great to get an EUC community going on TOR, even if we lack the numbers to officially start a guild. Something also worth mentioning might be the "friends trial" which is a 7 day free trial. Any of us with an active subscription can refer a friend via e-mail. It might be a good way to help spark interest in people prior to F2P if we really want to build an EUC TOR community.

I believe Crash may still be playing although I'm not entirely sure how active he is. Life I believe intends to play I don't know as he hasn't posted any character name or server.

No worries, I wasn't proposing that we actually transfer servers. My thought was that you and Mara were already on the same server, and that I would make an alt there. Your characters do not/not need to be on the same server. I have characters on two already, and wouldn't have a problem with creating another on a third (it just means that I don't get any Legacy benefits, because your Legacy is limited to your server).

And also, your characters need not be in the same guild. You can make an alt for an EUCantina guild, and it would not affect guildiness for other characters._________________http://taralbooks.blogspot.ca

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 8:36 am

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Mara Jade SkywalkerAdministrator

Joined: 15 Feb 2008Posts: 6355Location: Beyond Shadows

I forget that your legacy is limited to your server. Though I still wouldn't mind making a new character on a different server. But my primary focus at the moment, of course, is my current character.

I've never been part of a guild, so I don't know what that entails, but I'll tentatively say I'm game. _________________"It's not about the legacy you leave, it's about the life you live." ~Mara Jade Skywalker

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 11:57 am

Message

Salaris VornModerator

Joined: 02 Feb 2008Posts: 2373Location: New York, USA

Mara Jade Skywalker wrote:

I've never been part of a guild, so I don't know what that entails, but I'll tentatively say I'm game.

One perk is a "guild bank" which allows you to pool resources for crafting or, if you are the generous sort, put armors, weapons or other equipment you don't need there where it might be useful to another person. (Essentially it is a shared cargo bay).

Another plus is you have a group you can organize doing FP together, or at level 50, Operations. That being said provided you have a coordinated communication system you could just as easilly organize grouping for a FP through something like Google Groups. My current guild also has a Google Group to organize things outside of the game or just to share info so forming a Google Group independently or alongside forming an ingame guild might be worth considering.

The final benefit I've seen is that it basically functions like a large friend list, but you don't have to add everyone manually yourself. For example say you, Taral, and I are in the same guild and Life wants to join up. Now let's assume that you and Taral aren't online at the time but I'm online when Life logs in. I invite Life to the Guild and he accepts. Next time you and Taral log on when Life is playing the Guild list (located right next to the friends list at the upper left) will show that all three of you are online. Essentially the guild list can act like a shared friend list where if one of us adds a new "friend" to the list (invites someone to the guild) then that person is added to all of our lists._________________

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 2:47 pm

Message

Taral-DLOSMaster

Joined: 23 Nov 2010Posts: 2059Location: Ontario, Canada

Salaris Vorn wrote:

Mara Jade Skywalker wrote:

I've never been part of a guild, so I don't know what that entails, but I'll tentatively say I'm game.

One perk is a "guild bank" which allows you to pool resources for crafting or, if you are the generous sort, put armors, weapons or other equipment you don't need there where it might be useful to another person. (Essentially it is a shared cargo bay).

Another plus is you have a group you can organize doing FP together, or at level 50, Operations. That being said provided you have a coordinated communication system you could just as easilly organize grouping for a FP through something like Google Groups. My current guild also has a Google Group to organize things outside of the game or just to share info so forming a Google Group independently or alongside forming an ingame guild might be worth considering.

The final benefit I've seen is that it basically functions like a large friend list, but you don't have to add everyone manually yourself. For example say you, Taral, and I are in the same guild and Life wants to join up. Now let's assume that you and Taral aren't online at the time but I'm online when Life logs in. I invite Life to the Guild and he accepts. Next time you and Taral log on when Life is playing the Guild list (located right next to the friends list at the upper left) will show that all three of you are online. Essentially the guild list can act like a shared friend list where if one of us adds a new "friend" to the list (invites someone to the guild) then that person is added to all of our lists.

Can I quote you on this for my article? That's possibly the best description of a guild I've ever read.

Have any of you guys watched The Guild? One of the best webseries out there. Check it out on the GeekandSundry youtube channel _________________http://taralbooks.blogspot.ca

Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 12:51 pm

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Salaris VornModerator

Joined: 02 Feb 2008Posts: 2373Location: New York, USA

Taral-DLOS wrote:

Can I quote you on this for my article? That's possibly the best description of a guild I've ever read.

Go for it._________________

Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 1:27 pm

Message

Mara Jade SkywalkerAdministrator

Joined: 15 Feb 2008Posts: 6355Location: Beyond Shadows

Thanks for the explanation of a guild, Salaris! That's very helpful.

You know two of my favorite random things of this game?

1. There is a clock. A clock! Do you know how happy this makes me? A clock, so I know what time it is. Brilliant.

2. You can minimize the game without it crashing. Amazing! Most games do not support this. I can successfully minimize the game, if I need to take care of something else on the computer, without having to completely close out and then log back in. Love it. _________________"It's not about the legacy you leave, it's about the life you live." ~Mara Jade Skywalker

Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 7:40 am

Message

Taral-DLOSMaster

Joined: 23 Nov 2010Posts: 2059Location: Ontario, Canada

Guys! I totally finished the Sith Warrior storyline yesterday!

I brought my character to Level 50, tied some loose ends on Corellia, and did the final battle. OMG was it difficult.

Quick tip: When you get to Level 50, you stop gaining XP, but you do still get Legacy Points, gear, money, etc. But you do stop gaining true XP. So I ended up abandoning most of my ongoing quests once I reached Level 50. I kept only my Class quest and the major Corellia quest (the type of quest where, at the end of each one, someone refers you to another person, so you progress through a fairly deep story).

Tarahl is now Darth Tarahl.

It also unlocked the ability to have a Sith Pureblood character for any class (including Republic classes).

I won't spoil the ending of the Warrior story, but the final battle was so hard. But, like any good game, through trial and error you realize what it was that was causing you to lose, and could adjust your play style to beat it._________________http://taralbooks.blogspot.ca

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:25 pm

Message

Salaris VornModerator

Joined: 02 Feb 2008Posts: 2373Location: New York, USA

Congrats Taral!

I just finished chapter 2 of the Jedi Consular. The final "boss" fight was actually a walk in the park. After the chapter 1 boss who could literally 1 hit kill you I was expecting a much tougher fight. Not that I'm complaining as I expect Chapter 3 will make up for it with a nearly unbeatable boss._________________

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 5:19 pm

Message

Mara Jade SkywalkerAdministrator

Joined: 15 Feb 2008Posts: 6355Location: Beyond Shadows

I'm playing through TOR right now while the electricity is holding, and is it bad that my main concern is getting my character back to a Cantina before the power goes out? I am ashamed. _________________"It's not about the legacy you leave, it's about the life you live." ~Mara Jade Skywalker

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:32 am

Message

Taral-DLOSMaster

Joined: 23 Nov 2010Posts: 2059Location: Ontario, Canada

Mara Jade Skywalker wrote:

I'm playing through TOR right now while the electricity is holding, and is it bad that my main concern is getting my character back to a Cantina before the power goes out? I am ashamed.

lol, that's what Quick Travel and Emergency Fleet Pass are for

Quick Travel will get you to a Cantina (assuming you unlocked one) or the Spaceport (so you can get to your ship, which counts as a Rest Area). Emergency Fleet Pass will get you to the Fleet, and there's a Cantina in there.

I'd like to describe the Sith Warrior end-battle, but I'll do it in Spoilers, so you can choose not to read it.

Click here to see the hidden message (It might contain spoilers)

You confront Darth Baras in the Dark Council chamber on Korriban. Like other bosses, you have to defeat him more than once, with a dialogue in between fights (and a chance to heal up). The first part wasn't too hard; my usual Tank tricks, with a DPS companion, brought him down quickly.

But then during the second fight, he uses a move called Emperor's Voice. This ability hits with force, taking 11,000 hit points (I only had 13,000 at full health). So it's insta-kill. After a few deaths like that, I saw that Emperor's Voice was a channeled spell, so I could interrupt it with one of three powers (Choke, Push, and Backhand). And if he did it again, I could just run, with my Healer companion out to heal me up). After a few tries, I was able to get it done and kill him. Good times.

the sith warrior battle sounds a lot like what the Jedi Consular Chapter 1 end battle was like. I died something like three times before figuring out how to beat him.

Playing last night I noticed how the game uses a fair number of tracks from the PT films. It made me think "I remember when Star Wars games used to only have tracks from the OT because those were the only films!" That then made me feel old. What's next? "when i was your age sonny we had 2D graphics and were happy to have a game to play at all!"? _________________

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 1:55 pm

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Mara Jade SkywalkerAdministrator

Joined: 15 Feb 2008Posts: 6355Location: Beyond Shadows

Game mechanics gone wrong. *snickers*

_________________"It's not about the legacy you leave, it's about the life you live." ~Mara Jade Skywalker

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 4:32 pm

Message

Salaris VornModerator

Joined: 02 Feb 2008Posts: 2373Location: New York, USA

either that or they got into the Tarisian Ale shipment

As a random aside: have you checked out the different quickbar set ups you can have? If you click on the plus symbol at the top left of your quick bar it opens up a variety of different quick bar options, some layouts I've found give you much quicker access to powers and abilities because there are more slots to assign non-combat abilities to (you can bind keys to the additiona slots using the options menu and adjusting the quickbar controls). For those who are more tech savy I think they even give you the option to completely customize the HUD to locate different items (like the minimap) where you want and adjust the size of each HUD item.

Also you can open your companion's abilities by press ing the plus symbol at the top right of their bar. It gives you slightly more control over what abilities they use (you can turn abilities on/off) and what "stances" they are in (which function very similar to different lightsaber forms you can select)._________________

Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2012 11:36 am

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Mara Jade SkywalkerAdministrator

Joined: 15 Feb 2008Posts: 6355Location: Beyond Shadows

Oh...my gosh. Salaris, thank you so much! I can't believe I didn't know that I could customize the HUD. And that one row quickbar has been driving me crazy. So happy to get it fixed!

Just thought I would introduce everyone to my new friend:

His name is Kevin, after the bird thing on Up. _________________"It's not about the legacy you leave, it's about the life you live." ~Mara Jade Skywalker